Cooking with Friends

A few weeks ago I got together with a couple of friends for a night of friendship and cooking. That night we made some creme brulee and it turned out great. So this past week we decided to try a couple of other recipes and also go through our bible study that we are doing together.

We met at my house and made some 'Wild Mushroom Risotto' and 'Gingerbread Biscotti'.

The risotto recipe was a new recipe to us and it turned out delicious.



Recipe:
5 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 T butter, divided
2 T olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
package of fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cups arborio rice (about 10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring broth to simmer in a saucepan. Cover and keep war.

Melt 1 T butter with oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until mushrooms begin to brown, stirring often.
Add rice, stir for 2 minutes. Add wine, stirring until absorbed.
Add 1 1/2 cup warm broth; cook until absorbed, stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Add more broth, half a cup at a time allowing each addition to be absorbed. Stir often, until rice is tender and creamy, about 20m minutes longer.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese and 1 T butter. Season with salt and pepper.

The 'Gingerbread Biscotti' recipe is one I found about a year ago on a blog friend Tina's blog, Stones of Remembrance, and I have made it many times. It is fabulous especially with a cup of coffee!



1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1 1/2 ground ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/2 t nutmeg
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup finely minced candied ginger
white chocolate coating

In large bowl beat butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Mix in molasses. Add flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg mixing until smooth.
Fold in almonds and candied ginger.
Divide dough into half onto lightly greased baking sheet and form each half into a log about 3-4 inches wide and 1 inch high. Place them 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Lower temp to 300 degrees and let logs cool for 10 minutes.

Using serrated knife, cut each log into 1/2 inch pieces. Place back on baking sheet cut sides down. Bake 10 minutes. Then flip over and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt coating according to package directions. Dip cookies halfway into coating or use spoon to drizzle quickly back and forth.


(Deb, me and Heidi "meeting" Paula Deen at 'Lady and Sons' in Savannah, GA about a year ago!!) :)